[Voiceover]: This episode of the Checkout is brought to you by Mobile Digital. Are your email and organic social engagement rates like Tom Petty free falling? Ever considered text messaging? It's one of the few mediums where you can expect 98% of your messages to be seen. That's 98% cut through. Talk about look at me, look at me. If you want to get your brand messaging in your customer's hand, head over to Mobile Digital. That's mobile dot digital as the URL where you where you can get started today with a three month trial for as low as $147. Welcome to the checkout. We catch up with previous add to cart guests and ask them five quick questions to get to know them better and leave you with a little extra inspiration to get you through your Friday. Today's checkout features Rob Godwin from Lovehoney. Lovehoney are the sexual wellness people and they're the leading retailer of sex toys, costumes and most things sex related that you can or you can't even imagine. They now operate in nine countries and have 440 staff worldwide. Rob Godwin, welcome to the Checkout.
Rob Godwin: Great to be here, Nathan.
[Voiceover]: We are going to learn a little bit more about you and I don't think I've been so excited about checkout questions as I am today.
Rob Godwin: Bring it on.
[Voiceover]: All right, number one. God, this probably isn't even a challenge for you. Number one, what is the weirdest thing you've ever bought online?
Rob Godwin: That's a hard one. Actually. I have to give you two answers. One is the weirdest. But the best thing I bought online was the I'm a massive Chelsea fan and I bought the signed Jersey from the 2012 Champions League final which I flew to in Germany and that is now hanging with pride in my home office. I would think the weirdest thing I bought online, which I actually failed to buy online, was Tony Abbott signed Budgie Smugglers. I wanted to buy these for charity and to when I was the CEO of SexPay and tour them around the country to highlight some of the hypocrisy of Tony Abbott's policies at the time and I missed out to a pub in Alice Springs. So it still haunts me that I didn't buy them. So that was the weirdest thing I tried to buy online.
[Voiceover]: Do you know how much they end up going for?
Rob Godwin: 1600 dollars.
[Voiceover]: Bargain.
Rob Godwin: I had to jump on a flight to see my sons and I missed out. But there we go.
[Voiceover]: There you go. What could have been number two? Who is your favorite Retailer.
Rob Godwin: That's again real tough question. I think people like Booktopia adore beauty. Fantastic. I mean having the opportunity to go around their companies just from a logistical perspective from how they do things like Wayne at booktapia, their automation in their packaging is just second to none. I think though my favourite retailer would have to be Judy and Tom from Fauna and Fauna just for who they are, what they do, how they do it and just really, really lovely people
[Voiceover]: that now they're incredible. Number three, which retail fad do you wish was history?
Rob Godwin: Targeted ad campaigns. When I type it in wood varnish and I suddenly get a thousand adverts for varnish, wood, etc. Just hate that. Where or even if you're thinking I'm going to do some woodwork or a sport or a hobby and then how. How does Mr. Zuckerberg, Mr. Google know all these things? And it's. That irritates me immensely. And also the excessive usage of space in packaging when I get a delivery of some hardware software sporting and I get a massive box that infuriates me due to eco impact that does have
[Voiceover]: on the retargeting side of it. Have you guys ever retargeted or would that be kind of an invasion of privacy if you're on lovehoney and then all of a sudden you show up on news.com or they wouldn't allow you.
Rob Godwin: We do some pretty good affiliate linkage and quite coordinated PPC SEO campaigns but we do that does irritate people and we try to avoid that. If it irritates me, it's going to irritate our customers.
[Voiceover]: It's a great mindset to have. If it irritates you, don't do it to others. All right, Number four, you mentioned a couple of podcasts when we were talking in our longer episode but can you recommend a book or a podcast that our listeners should immediately get into?
Rob Godwin: Well, add to cart as an obvious one to start off with I think two great podcasts listenable by Dylan Alcott and his partner Crime Angus. Just brilliant. I mean as soon as it's released I listen to it. He's a legend and Allcott. Just honored to call him a friend and it's just great to listen to him. The same with Ed and Dan@TRADEMARK the conversation about mental health. This is the start of conversation. Absolutely. I think also with the book I would recommend I know other people have done it is catch the decade just from a understanding of going for it from. From. From Gabby and his brother just that kind of gung ho. You know what? Let's just do it and see what happens. And if it works, it does and it doesn't. You should learn from the experience. Every E commerce manager should read that just for confidence, to give it a go.
[Voiceover]: Absolutely. And then you're right, it has come up. And Gabby was on the show and he was fantastic. I feel that he tells a great story around. Just go for it. We don't know what we're doing, but just incredibly smart retail operators as well. Like, if you were ever talking about the mold of a retailer, Gabby's it, right?
Rob Godwin: Totally. And listening to him at Power Retail Awards recently. Funny as well.
[Voiceover]: Yes, he's hilarious. Great guy. All right, last one I've got for you, number five. Finish this sentence. The future of retail is now.
Rob Godwin: Do it now. No, tomorrow. Do it now.
[Voiceover]: Beautiful. Rob, thank you so much for all you've shared. And then if you're interested, we'll go back into the other episode where we learn more about love, honey, and your efforts in diversity and inclusion.
Rob Godwin: Fantastic. Great to be with you today. Much appreciated.
[Voiceover]: To hear more from Rob, jump back into episode 89, where Rob shares how the sex industry drives innovation, how Covid changed Australians attitudes towards sex, and why diversity and inclusion is key to success in E commerce. Thanks for listening and until next time, keep adding to cart.
